Rohit Sharma has faced a tough run with the bat in the 2024-25 season, averaging just 11.83 from 12 innings in Test cricket. However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the 37-year-old has the ability to regain his form and lead from the front if he returns to his familiar position at the top of the order.

Rohit had to miss the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 to be with his wife during the birth of their second child. He made his return in the second Test, but instead of opening the batting, he was placed in the middle order, allowing the in-form pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul to continue at the top.

Unfortunately, Rohit’s return didn’t go as planned; he was dismissed for single-digit scores in both innings, further adding to the frustration of his lean run. Rav Shastri, however, believes that Rohit’s true potential lies at the top of the order, a position where he has excelled in recent years. He suggested that Rohit should move back to open in the crucial third Test at the iconic Gabba in Brisbane, starting December 14.

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Ravi Shastri emphasized that opening the innings is where Rohit has been at his best for the past eight or nine years. He urged the Indian captain to take charge and set the tone by throwing the “first punch” at Australia’s bowling attack.

“That’s where he’s been at his best over the last eight or nine years. It’s not that he’s going to set the world on fire – he could – but that’s the place that’s best for him. To lead from the front. If he has to do damage, if he has to throw the first punch, that’s the best place from where he can do it,” Ravi Shastri told India Today.

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Looking ahead, Shastri also pointed out the significance of the third Test, emphasizing that whichever team wins this match will likely go on to win the series. With the series currently tied 1-1, Shastri believes this Test is the pivotal one. “It is important that India get their judgment right here because 1-1 in the series, this is the moving Test match,” he said. The anticipation is high, as the cricket world braces for what promises to be an exciting clash.